MAPP Handbook - The National Association of County and City ...

TIP SHEET 3
Guidance for Participant Identification
MAPP is intended to result in the development and implementation of a communitywide
strategic plan for public health improvement. Therefore, for the plan to be
realistically implemented, it must be developed through broad participation by persons
who share the commitment to and responsibility for the community’s health and
overall well-being. It is unlikely that key implementers will simply adopt the
recommendations of a plan for which they had no input. The commitment to
implementation will come from the sense of ownership that results from participating
in the plan’s development.
Framework for Participant Selection
Consider the following issues when identifying and recruiting participants
for the MAPP process:
• Who plays a role in the local public health system? It is important to include
individuals that have a hand in providing public health services. The Essential Public
Health Services framework (described below) provides a good starting point.
• What broad, cross-sectorial participation is needed? The MAPP Committee
should be representative of the overall community. A broad cross-section of
residents and organizations is needed for members to be truly representative of
the perceptions, interests, and needs of the entire community.
• What other criteria do they meet? Consider other issues, such as expertise
and access to key assets and resources, the need for diversity and inclusiveness,
and long-term availability and interest.
Identifying Possible Participants through the Essential Public
Health Services
The Essential Public Health Services provide a useful framework for determining who
is responsible for the community’s health and well-being. The services reflect core
processes used in public health to promote health and prevent disease. Thus,
potential participants in the MAPP process would include individuals, organizations,
and other entities that contribute to the delivery of one or more of the ten
services identified below.
• Monitor health status to identify community health problems.
• Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community.
• Inform, educate and empower people about health issues.
• Mobilize community partnership to identify and solve health problems.
• Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.
• Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.
• Link people to need personal health services and assure the provision of health
care when otherwise unavailable.
• Assure a competent public health and personal healthcare workforce.
• Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility and quality of personal and population-based
health services.
• Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems.
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